Sound processors with light transmissive seals and implantable cochlear stimulation systems including the same

ABSTRACT

Sound processors with light transmissive seals and systems including such sound processors are disclosed. A seal, formed in part from substantially translucent material and having at least a portion of the substantially translucent material associated with the housing exterior of the sound processor, transmits light from a light emitter carried within the housing to indicate an operational aspect of the sound processor.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present disclosure relates generally to sound processors such as,for example, the sound processors in implantable cochlear stimulation(or “ICS”) systems.

2. Description of the Related Art

ICS systems are used to help the profoundly deaf perceive a sensation ofsound by directly exciting the intact auditory nerve with controlledimpulses of electrical current. Ambient sound pressure waves are pickedup by an externally worn microphone and converted to electrical signals.The electrical signals, in turn, are processed by a sound processor,converted to a pulse sequence having varying pulse widths and/oramplitudes, and transmitted to an implanted receiver circuit of the ICSsystem. The implanted receiver circuit is connected to an implantableelectrode array that has been inserted into the cochlea of the innerear, and electrical stimulation current is applied to varying electrodecombinations to create a perception of sound. A representative ICSsystem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,824,022, which is entitled“Cochlear Stimulation System Employing Behind-The-Ear Sound processorWith Remote Control” and incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

As alluded to above, some ICS systems include an implantable device, asound processor unit, and a microphone that is in communication with thesound processor unit. The implantable device communicates with the soundprocessor unit and, to that end, some ICS systems include a headpiecethat is in communication with both the sound processor unit and theimplantable device. In one type of ICS system, the sound processor unitis worn behind the ear (a “BTE unit”), while other types of ICS systemshave a body worn sound processor unit (or “body worn unit”). The bodyworn unit, which is larger and heavier than a BTE unit, is typicallyworn on the user's belt or carried in the user's pocket. In thoseinstances where body worn units have a replaceable battery, the bodyworn unit housing will have a battery compartment (or “receptacle”) anda removable battery compartment cover. One example of a conventionalbody worn unit is the Advanced Bionics Platinum Series body worn unit.

Sound processor housings frequently include a visible status indicator,such as an LED, that is used to provide information about the operationof the sound processor (e.g. on/off status, battery status, andheadpiece lock status). Such a status indicator requires an opening inthe sound processor housing for a light emitter, as well as a seal toprevent dust and moisture from entering the housing by way of any spacebetween the light emitter and housing. The present inventor hasdetermined that visible status indicators may be more efficiently andeffectively provided.

SUMMARY

A sound processor in accordance with one embodiment of a presentinvention includes a housing, a seal formed from at least substantiallytranslucent material and having at least a portion thereof associatedwith the housing exterior, and a light emitter carried within housingthat directs light into the seal. The present inventions also includecochlear stimulation systems with a cochlear implant and such a soundprocessor.

A sound processor in accordance with one embodiment of a presentinvention includes a housing, a device carried by the housing such thata gap is defined between a portion of the housing and a portion of thedevice, a light emitter within the housing, and means for sealing thegap against the ingress of moisture while permitting transmission oflight through the gap. The present inventions also include cochlearstimulation systems with a cochlear implant and such a sound processor.

A method in accordance with one embodiment of a present inventionincludes the step of transmitting visible light that is representativeof an operational aspect of the sound processor through a sealassociated with the sound processor housing.

Such sound processors, systems and methods are advantageous for avariety of reasons. For example, construction of the sound processor issimplified. One otherwise necessary structure (e.g., a seal for a deviceassociated with the housing exterior) is used to eliminate the need forother structures (e.g., the housing opening and seal associated withconventional status indicators).

The above described and many other features of the present inventionswill become apparent as the inventions become better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Detailed descriptions of the exemplary embodiments will be made withreference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of an ICS system in accordance withone embodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a sound processor in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sound processor in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a sound processor inaccordance with one embodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a portion of a sound processor in accordancewith one embodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portion of a sound processor in accordancewith one embodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a sound processor in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 8 is a section view of a port and seal in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 8A is a section view of the seal illustrated in FIG. 8 in anuncompressed state.

FIG. 8B is a section view of a seal in accordance with one embodiment ofa present invention.

FIG. 8C is a section view of a seal in accordance with one embodiment ofa present invention.

FIG. 9 is a section view of a button/seal in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 9A is a section view of portions of the button/seal illustrated in

FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 is a section view of a button/seal in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 11 is an exploded side view of a sound processor in accordance withone embodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a power supply receptacle cover inaccordance with one embodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a seal in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 14 is a section view taken along line 14-14 in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a section view of a portion of a sound processor main portionin accordance with one embodiment of a present invention with the powersupply receptacle cover removed.

FIG. 16 is a section view of a portion of a sound processor main portionin accordance with one embodiment of a present invention with the powersupply receptacle cover in place.

FIG. 17 is a section view of a seal in accordance with one embodiment ofa present invention.

FIG. 18 is a section view of a seal in accordance with one embodiment ofa present invention.

FIG. 19 is a side view of a sound processor in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention with the power supply receptacle coverremoved.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a power supply receptacle cover inaccordance with one embodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 21 is a section view of a portion of a sound processor inaccordance with one embodiment of a present invention with the powersupply receptacle cover in place.

FIG. 22 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is an end view of a sound processor in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 24 is a section view of a portion of the sound processorillustrated in FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a side view of a sound processor in accordance with oneembodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 26 is a section view of a portion of the sound processorillustrated in FIG. 25 after slight movement from the locationillustrated in FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a power supply receptacle cover inaccordance with one embodiment of a present invention.

FIG. 28 is a section view of a portion of a sound processor main portionwith the power supply receptacle cover illustrated in FIG. 27 in place.

FIG. 29 is a section view of a portion of a sound processor main portionwith the power supply receptacle cover in place.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The following is a detailed description of the best presently knownmodes of carrying out the inventions. This description is not to betaken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose ofillustrating the general principles of the inventions.

The present inventions have application in a wide variety of systemsthat provide sound (i.e. either sound or a perception of sound) to thehearing impaired as well as others who require such systems on asituational basis. One example of such a system is an ICS system wherean external sound processor communicates with a cochlear implant and,accordingly, the present inventions are discussed in the context of ICSsystems. The present inventions are not, however, limited to ICS systemsand may be used in combination with other systems for the hearingimpaired that currently exist, or are yet to be developed.

One example of a sound processor is the body worn sound processor(“sound processor”) generally represented by reference numeral 100 inFIGS. 1-3. The exemplary sound processor 100, which may be combined witha headpiece 102 and a cochlear implant 104 to form an ICS system 10,includes a housing 106 in which and/or on which various components aresupported. Such components may include, but are not limited to, soundprocessor circuitry 108, a headpiece port 110, an auxiliary device port112 for an auxiliary device such as a mobile phone or a music player, acontrol panel 114, a Euro Plug receptacle 116 (for a Euro Plug such asthat associated with the Phonak MLxi FM receiver), and a power supplyreceptacle 118 with electrical contacts 120 and 122 for a removablebattery or other removable power supply 124 (e.g. rechargeable anddisposable batteries or other electrochemical cells). Power supplyreceptacles are also sometimes referred to as “battery compartments”when they are intended for use with a battery. The headpiece port 110and auxiliary device port 112 may be connected to the sound processorcircuitry 108 by way of, for example, a signal splitter/combiner (notshown) such as that found in the Platinum Signal Processor body wornunit from Advanced Bionics Corporation. In the illustrated embodiment,the control panel 114 includes a volume knob 126 and a program switch128. A power button 130 and a bayonet release button 132 are alsocarried on the housing 106. The bayonet release button 132 actuates abayonet mechanism to release the housing control portion 152 from thehousing main portion 150 (described below).

The headpiece 102 in the exemplary ICS system 10 includes a cable 134which may be connected to the headpiece port 110, a microphone 136, anantenna 138 and a positioning magnet 140. The exemplary cochlear implant104 includes an antenna 142, an internal processor 144, a cochlear lead146 with an electrode array, and a positioning magnet (or magneticmaterial) 148. The transmitter 138 and receiver 142 communicate by wayof electromagnetic induction, radio frequencies, or any other wirelesscommunication technology. The positioning magnet 140 and positioningmagnet (or magnetic material) 148 maintain the position of the headpieceantenna 138 over the cochlear implant antenna 142. During use, themicrophone 136 picks up sound from the environment and converts it intoelectrical impulses, and the sound processor 100 filters and manipulatesthe electrical impulses and sends the processed electrical signalsthrough the cable 134 to the transmitter 138. Electrical impulsesreceived from an auxiliary device are processed in essentially the sameway. The receiver 142 receives signals from the transmitter 138 andsends the signals to the cochlear implant internal processor 144, whichmodifies the signals and passes them through the cochlear lead 146 tothe electrode array. The electrode array may be wound through thecochlea and provides direct electrical stimulation to the auditorynerves inside the cochlea. This provides the user with sensory inputthat is a representation of external sound waves which were sensed bythe microphone 136.

It should be noted that, in other implementations, communication betweenthe sound processor and a headpiece and/or auxiliary device may beaccomplished through wireless communication techniques. It should alsobe noted that, in other implementations, the sound processor may beconfigured to directly communicate with the cochlear implant (i.e.without a headpiece and associated cable).

The exemplary sound processor 100 may be carried by the user in avariety of ways. By way of example, but not limitation, the soundprocessor 100 may be carried in the user's pocket, secured to a beltwith a belt clip that is either part of housing 106 or a separatecarrier, or placed in a harness that is configured to be worn by a smallchild.

Referring more specifically to FIGS. 2 and 3, the exemplary housing 106includes a main portion 150, a control portion 152 and a power supplyreceptacle cover (“PSR cover”) 154 that may be latched or otherwisedetachably connected to the housing main portion 150 in the mannerdescribed below. The housing main portion 150 supports and/or houses thesound processor circuitry 108, headpiece port 110 and power button 130,and includes the power supply receptacle 118. The control portion 152supports and/or houses the auxiliary device port 112, control panel 114,Euro Plug receptacle 116 and bayonet release button 132. In other words,in the exemplary implementation, the main portion 150 supports and/orhouses those elements of the sound processor 100 that are required forthe ICS system 10 to function, while the control portion 152 includesvarious elements that are only required from time to time (e.g. thevolume knob 126) or are merely useful options (e.g. the auxiliary deviceport 112).

In the exemplary implementation, the sound processor 100 is configuredsuch that the housing control portion 152 (and the functional elementsassociated therewith) may be mechanically and electrically separatedfrom the housing main portion 150 (and the functional elementsassociated therewith) in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4. To that end,and referring also to FIGS. 5 and 6, the housing main portion 150includes mechanical connectors 156 and 158 that are configured to matewith corresponding connectors 162 and 160, respectively, on the housingcontrol portion 152. The housing main portion 150 and control portion152 also include electrical connectors 164 and 166 with a plurality ofcontacts 168 and 170. An alignment locater feature, such as a post 172and an opening 174 that receives the post and keys orientation, is alsoprovided. Turning to FIG. 7, the sound processor 100 also includes acover 176, with the same mechanical connectors (not shown) as thecontrol portion 152, that may be used to protect the electricalconnector 164 when the control portion is not in use.

It should also be noted here that, in other implementations, the soundprocessor may be configured such that the housing main portion andhousing control portion define a single, integral unit that may not beseparated in the manner described above.

The main portion 150 and control portion 152 of the exemplary housing106 may be formed from relatively hard, rigid materials. A relativelyhard material (as compared to the seals 186 and 212 discussed below) isa material that has a hardness greater than 75 Shore D. Suitablematerials include, but are not limited to, a polycarbonate (PC), anacrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), nylon and PC/ABS blends andvarious combinations thereof. One specific example is Lexan® Resin HP1R,from SABIC Innovative Plastics Company, which is a polycarbonate thathas a hardness of about 70 Rockwell M. Another specific example isNoryl® PPO, a modified polyphenylene oxide. In one exemplaryimplementation, the main portion 150 may include a main structure formedfrom Lexan® Resin HP1R and a decorative overmold formed from a platablegrade of PC/ABS with a chrome plating on the PC/ABS.

Turning to FIGS. 8 and 8A, the exemplary headpiece port 110 includes abarrel 178 with a cylindrical exterior surface 178 a, a socket 180, andinsulators 182 and 184. In the illustrated embodiment, the headpieceport 110 is carried on a circuit board 185. The barrel 178 and socket180 may be formed from suitable electrically conductive materials suchas, for example, beryllium copper or brass. Thus, the barrel 178 isrelatively rigid. The insulators 182 and 184 may be formed from adielectric material such as, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene(PTFE). One example of such a headpiece port is available fromIntelliConnect USA, LLC (part no. 5171-J1EG-000-100).

A resilient, elastomeric seal 186 is compressed in the gap between thehousing 106 (here, the housing main portion 150) and the headpiece port110 and, more specifically, between the housing and the barrel 178.Although the seal 186 is not limited to any particular configuration,the exemplary embodiment includes a hollow cylindrical portion (i.e. aportion with an annular cross-section) 188 that is compressed betweenthe cylindrical outer surface 178 a of the barrel 178 and a cylindricalinner surface 106 a of the associated portion of the housing. Theoverall shape of the seal 186 will typically be dictated by the regionto be sealed and may be, for example, other hollow geometric shapes incross-section, solid geometric shapes in cross-section, or simply flat,depending on the shape of the gap being sealed.

The exemplary seal 186 illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 8A also has one ormore inwardly projecting protrusions 190. Alternatively, or in addition,there may be one or more protrusions (not shown) that project radiallyoutwardly from the cylindrical portion 188. The protrusions 190 arecompressed during assembly, thereby insuring an effective seal betweenthe seal 186 and both the housing 106 and the headpiece port barrel 178.A positioning tab 192 may be located near one end of the cylindricalportion 188 and a corresponding indentation 194 may be provided on thehousing 106.

In the context of the present application, a “seal” is an elastomericstructure that is formed from material which is softer than, and may becompressed between, the structures between which the seal is beingformed. The exemplary seal 186 is formed from a material that is softerthan the associated portion of the housing 106 (here, the housing mainportion 150) and the headpiece port barrel 178. As a result, the seal186 may be compressed between the structures to form a barrier that willprevent dust and moisture from entering the sound processor 100 by wayof the space between the housing 106 and the headpiece port barrel 178that is occupied by the seal. Such a seal should have a sealingeffectiveness of at least IEC IPX7. Suitable materials for the seal 186and the seal 212 (discussed below) include, but are not limited to,silicone, urethane, and soft polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with a hardness ofabout 40-80 Shore A. In some implementations, the hardness of the sealmaterial may be about 68±5 Shore A.

The exemplary seal 186 is also at least substantially translucent, andmay be at least substantially transparent, and may be transparent. Alight emitter 196 (FIG. 8) is positioned within the housing 106 andadjacent to the seal 186 on a circuit board 198. The configuration ofthe light emitter 196, as well as the location and orientation of thelight emitter relative to the seal 186, are such that light emitted bythe light emitter will be transmitted through the seal to the housingexterior 106 b. The light will, therefore, be visible from outside thesound processor housing 106. A wide variety of light emitters may beemployed. In the illustrated embodiment, the light emitter 196 is aright angle, multi-color LED that is able transmit green, red and orangelight. Other suitable light emitters include, but are not limited toincandescent lamps and electroluminescent lamps.

The ability of the seal 186 to transmit light from the light emitter 196allows the seal to be used, in conjunction with the light emitter, toprovide visible information to a user that is representative ofoperational parameters of the sound processor 100. The light emitter 196may be controlled by the sound processor circuitry 108 or other suitablecontrol circuitry. By way of example, but not limitation, the exemplarysound processor 100 employs light (including a lack of light) to provideinformation to the user in the following manner. No light is emittedthrough the seal 186 when the sound processor is turned off or when thesound processor is operating properly, and there is no information tomake the user aware of, after the initial startup. Solid (i.e.non-blinking) green light is emitted by the light emitter 196 andthrough the seal 186 when the sound processor is in test mode duringstart up. Orange blinking light emitted by the light emitter 196 andthrough the seal 186 is indicative of battery status, with the number ofblinks (e.g. 1 to 4 blinks within a predetermined period) beingindicative of the battery level. Solid orange light emitted by the lightemitter 196 and through the seal 186 indicates that the battery is verylow. Blinking green light is emitted by the light emitter 196 andthrough the seal 186 is used to show that audio signals are beingprocessed normally. Blinking red light is emitted by the light emitter196 and through the seal 186 when there is a loss of lock, i.e. when theheadpiece is magnetically detached from the implanted cochlearstimulator. Solid red light is emitted by the light emitter 196 andthrough the seal 186 when there is a failure mode that requiresrestarting of the sound processor 100.

As illustrated above, the seal 186 simultaneously performs a sealingfunction (i.e. preventing ingress of dust and moisture) and a lighttransmission function. One exemplary advantage such a seal is that itsimplifies construction of the sound processor 100. In particular, oneotherwise necessary structure (i.e. a seal for headpiece port 110) isused to eliminate the need for other structures. Here, an opening in thehousing for a light emitter, as well as the associated seal, may beomitted because the at least substantially translucent seal 186 for theheadpiece port 110 allows light that is generated within the housing 106to be viewed from outside the housing.

Other exemplary seals may be configured such that there is at least oneportion that is at least substantially translucent and at least oneportion that is opaque. By way of example, but not limitation, theexemplary seal 186 a illustrated in FIG. 8B includes a cylindricalportion 188 a with an at least substantially translucent cylindricalsection 191 a and an opaque cylindrical section 193 a. The exemplaryseal 186 b illustrated in FIG. 8C includes a cylindrical portion 188 bwith a plurality of at least substantially translucent arcuate sections191 b and a plurality of opaque arcuate sections 193 b that togetherform a cylinder.

Another example of a seal through which light may be transmitted isassociated with the button 130 a illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 9A, whichmay be employed in place of the button 130 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.The exemplary button 130 a includes a switch 200 and an actuator 202.The actuator 202 may have a base 204 that is secured to the housing 106,a piston 206 that slides within an aperture 208 that extends through thebase, an external portion 210 that carries the piston, and a seal 212that is mounted on the base. The external portion 210 and seal 212,which may be integrally formed (as shown) or separate structures thatare joined to one another, are resilient and elastomeric and areseparated by an indentation 213. The external portion 210 is also biasedto the rest position illustrated in FIG. 9 that holds the piston 206 outof contact with the switch 200. The exemplary button 130 a is actuatedwhen a user presses the external portion 210, which the flexes untilpiston 206 engages (and closes) the switch 200. The external portion 210will return to the rest position when the user releases the button 130a.

The exemplary seal 212 is compressed in the gap between the housing 106(here, the housing main portion 150) and the button base 204. Althoughthe seal 212 is not limited to any particular configuration, theexemplary embodiment includes a cylindrical portion 214, an annularportion 216 that is mounted within an annular recess 218 in the base204, and one or more outwardly projecting protrusions 220.Alternatively, or in addition, there may be one or more protrusions (notshown) that project inwardly from the cylindrical portion 214. Theprotrusions 220 are compressed during assembly, thereby insuring aneffective seal between the seal 212 and both the housing 106 and thebutton base 204.

The piston 206 my be secured to the button external portion 210 in avariety of ways. In the illustrated embodiment, the piston includes ahead 222 and a connector 224 and the external portion includes acorresponding recess 226 and connector 228.

The exemplary seal 212 is at least substantially translucent, and may beat least substantially transparent, and may be transparent. A lightemitter 196 a is positioned within the housing 106 and adjacent to theseal 212 on a circuit board 198 a. The configuration of the lightemitter 196 a, as well as the location and orientation of the lightemitter relative to the seal 212, are such that light emitted by thelight emitter will be transmitted through the seal to the housingexterior 106 b and will, therefore, be visible from outside the soundprocess housing 106. The exemplary light emitter 196 a may a rightangle, multi-color LED that is able transmit green, red and orange lightor some other light emitting device. It should be noted here that thebase 204 in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 9A is atleast substantially translucent, may be at least substantiallytransparent, and may be transparent. Thus, light from the light emitter196 a passes through both the base 204 and the seal 212. Alternatively,as illustrated in FIG. 10, an otherwise identical button 130 b may beprovided with an at least substantially opaque (or opaque) base 204 bthat includes an aperture 230 that is positioned between the lightemitter 196 a and the seal 212. In either case, the light will bevisible at the housing exterior 106 b.

Here too, the seal 212 simultaneously performs a sealing function (i.e.preventing ingress of dust and moisture) and a light transmissionfunction, and may be used to in conjunction with the light emitter toprovide information about operational parameters of the sound processor100 in the manner described above. One exemplary advantage such a sealis that it simplifies construction of the sound processor 100. Inparticular, one otherwise necessary structure (i.e. a seal for thebutton 130 a) is used to eliminate the need for certain visible statusindicator structures, as is described above.

The button external portion 210 in the exemplary implementation integralwith, and formed from the same material as, the seal 212. As such, thelight from the light emitter 196 a also passes through the buttonexternal portion. In other implementations, the button external portion210 may be formed from opaque material. The combination of the opaquebutton external portion 210 and the at least substantially translucentseal 212 will result in a ring of light around the external portionduring light emission by the light emitter 196 a.

Other button configurations may also be employed. For example, thepiston 206 in buttons 130 a and 130 b may be at least substantiallytranslucent, at least substantially transparent, or transparent. Here,the aperture 230 (FIG. 10) may be omitted. Also, the recess andprotrusion respectively associated with the connectors 224 and 228 maybe omitted.

Turning to FIG. 11, the power supply receptacle 118 in the exemplaryembodiment is defined by various portions of the main portion housing150. In particular, the main portion housing 150 has a pair of end walls232 and 233 and a pair of side walls 234 and 235 (FIG. 21) that togetherdefine the volume, or at least a portion of the volume, in which abattery or other power supply is held. The electrical contacts 120 and122 are carried on the end walls 232 and 233 and, in the exemplaryembodiment, contact 120 is a resilient contact that is depressed as thebattery or other power supply is positioned between the contacts. Theresilient contact 120 presses against the battery or other power supplyto hold it in place. The main portion housing 150 also has a connectorapparatus 292, which is used to hold the PSR cover 154 in place as isdiscussed below with reference to FIGS. 19-26.

The exemplary sound processor 100 may be configured for use in or aroundwater and, accordingly, may be configured so as to insure that the powersupply receptacle 118 is waterproof. More specifically, a seal 236 maycarried on the main portion housing 150 in the manner illustrated inFIG. 11. Although the present inventions are not limited to anyparticular seal, two exemplary seals are described below. Other sealsthat may be employed include, but are not limited to, seals with solidcross-sections such as solid o-ring seals.

The exemplary seal 236 is a resilient band that extends around theentire perimeter of the main portion housing 150 and contacts the entireperimeter of the inner surface of the PSR cover 154 with a relativelyconstant force that is sufficient to prevent ingress of liquid. Althoughthe seal 236 is removable and replaceable, it is held in the illustratedlocation during use. It should also be noted that the seal 236 iscompressed radially when the PSR cover 154 is moved from thedetached/open state (FIG. 11) where the power supply receptacle isaccessible to the attached/covered state (FIGS. 2-3) where the powersupply receptacle is not accessible. Put another way, the seal 236 iscompressed in a direction that is perpendicular or at leastsubstantially perpendicular to the direction that the PSR cover 154moves as it slides onto the main portion housing 150 and over the seal.

In at least some implementations, the configuration of the PSR cover 154is such that it facilitates the controlled radial compression of theseal 236. To that end, and referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the PSR cover154 in the exemplary implementation includes side walls 238 and 240, endwalls 242 and 244, a bottom wall 246 and an open end 248 opposite thebottom wall. The intersections of the side and end walls 238-244, and tosome extent the side and end walls themselves, are curved. The coverwalls in other implementations may define a rectangular shape with 90degree corners. The exemplary PSR cover 154 also includes an innersurface 250, with a tapered transition portion 252 and a seal portion254, that extends completely around the perimeter of the cover. Thecircumference of the inner surface 250 is greatest at the open end 248,then decreases through the transition portion 252 such that the slope isabout 1.0 to about 1.7, and then is substantially constant in the sealportion 254. The transition portion 252 and seal portion 254 cooperatewith the seal 236 in the manner described below with reference to FIG.16.

As illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, the exemplary seal 236 includes abase member 256, which defines the inner surface 258 of the seal, and aplurality of protrusions 260-264 that extend outwardly from the basemember and have longitudinal ends 260 a-264 a. The seal 236 is formedfrom resilient material and, as is illustrated in FIG. 13, defines aclosed geometric overall shape (e.g. circular or the illustrated oval).The seal 236 is slightly smaller than the portion of the main portionhousing 150 on which is it is to be supported. As a result, the seal 236will be pre-stressed when placed on the housing to prevent ingress ofliquid between the seal inner surface 258 and the housing. The exemplaryseal 236 also includes material-free regions 266 and 268 that arerespectively located between protrusions 260 and 262 and protrusions 262and 264. The material free regions 266 and 268 provide open spaces (or“air gaps”) into which portion of the seal deflects during the slide-onradial compression that occurs when the PSR cover 154 is secured to themain portion housing 150. Although the protrusions 260-264 are generallyplanar structures that extend radially outwardly and are perpendicularto the base member inner surface 258 in the illustrated embodiment,other configurations may be employed.

Turning to FIGS. 15 and 16, the exemplary main portion housing 150 has achannel 270 into which the seal 236 may be inserted. The channel 270 hasan inner surface 272 that abuts the seal inner surface 240. The channel270 also has a pair of inwardly projecting surfaces 274 and 276. Theseal main portion 256 has corresponding surfaces 278 and 280 (FIG. 14).The seal 236 is stretched and deflected into the channel 270 duringassembly and held in the channel 270 by the inwardly projecting surfaces274 and 276. So arranged, the protrusions 260-264 will extend radiallyoutwardly from the main portion 256 and one or more of the protrusionswill be located within a region 282 that will ultimately be occupied bya portion of the PSR cover 154. As the PSR cover 154 in the exemplaryimplementation moves through the region 282, the inner surfacetransition portion 252 will sequentially engage and deflect theprotrusions 264 and 262. When the PSR cover 154 reaches attached/coveredstate, which is illustrated in FIG. 16, the protrusions 262 and 264 willbe deflected in the manner shown such that they engage the inner surfaceseal portion 254 at contact points 284 and 286 and there are open spacesOS between the protrusions and the main portion 256. Each contact point284 and 286, which are the points at which radial force is applied tothe seal 236, extends around the perimeter of the PSR cover 154 withenough force to prevent ingress of fluid.

Although the protrusions 260-264 may be identical in someimplementations, the protrusion 262 in the exemplary seal 236 isconfigured so as to have different structural characteristics than theprotrusions 260 and 264. The differences in structural characteristicsare differences that result in differences in sealing characteristicsgenerally, and the creation of more sealing force at protrusion 262 inparticular. Referring to FIG. 17, in the exemplary seal 236, the lengthL of the protrusion 262 is greater than the length of protrusion 264,while the thicknesses T of protrusions 262 and 264 are same. Given thefact that the distance between the seal base member 256 and the sealportion 254 of the PSR cover inner surface 250 is essentially the sameat each protrusion, the protrusion 262 will undergo a greater degree ofdeflection and radial compression than the protrusion 264 because it islonger. As such, as despite the fact that the protrusions are the samethickness and formed from the same materials, the protrusion 262 willform a tighter seal than the protrusion 264 and will act as the primaryportion of the seal. Locating the primary portion of the sealsufficiently away from the open end 248 is advantageous for insuringthat the seal makes uniform radial contact with the PSR cover innersurface 250. The protrusion 264 functions as the secondary portion ofthe seal to prevent ingress of liquid should liquid pass the seal formedby protrusion 262. Such liquid will be at a lower pressure than liquidat the seal formed by protrusion 262.

It should be noted here that, given the respective dimensions of theprotrusion 260 and the inner surface transition portion 252, theprotrusion 260 does not create a seal or at least any substantial seal.The protrusion 260 may, therefore, be omitted in some embodiments. Theprotrusion 260, which is identical to protrusion 264, is included in theexemplary seal 236 for a number of other reasons. Most notably, theinclusion of the protrusion 260 makes the seal 236 symmetric about theprotrusion 262 and, accordingly, it is reversible. If the seal 236 ismounted “upside down” on the housing 106, there will be no change infunction and, in some instances, the life of the seal may be extended ifit is removed and reversed after some period of use. The beam strengthof the seal 236, as defined by the material thickness in the radialdirection, is symmetric in the axial dimension. The additional beamstrength associated with the protrusion 260 also improves the sealbetween the inner surface 258 and the inner surface 272 of the housingchannel 270 created by the pre-stressing of the seal.

There are a variety of other ways to create protrusions with differingsealing characteristics. By way of example, but not limitation,differences in the respective thicknesses of the protrusions and/ormaterials used to form the protrusions may be employed alone or incombination with differences in other structural characteristics (e.g.length) to create protrusions having the desired differences in sealingcharacteristics.

Another exemplary seal, which is generally represented by referencenumeral 236′ in FIG. 18, and which is otherwise identical to seal 236,includes only a single protrusion 264′, a single material free region268, and one or more grooves, e.g. grooves 288 and 290, that are formedin the base member 256. The single protrusion 264′ forms a seal in themanner described above in the context of protrusion 262 (FIGS. 15-16)and, in the illustrated embodiment, the single protrusion is the samelength as the protrusion 262. In embodiments that include the seal 236′,the inner surface of the associated PSR cover may include a taperedtransition portion (e.g. transition portion 252 in FIG. 16), or as isillustrated in FIG. 29, the tapered transition portion may be omitted.

The grooves 288 and 290 are relatively shallow (e.g. about 0.004 inch),extend around the perimeter of the inner surface 258, and definerelatively small (as compared to the entire surface 258) upper and lowercontact surfaces 291 and 293 at the axial ends of the base member 256.The separate seals between the inner surface 258 and the inner surface272 of the housing channel 270 formed at the spaced contact surfaces 291and 293 are, in some instances, more readily controllable than a singleseal formed from an inner surface without grooves. Although the profilesof the exemplary grooves 288 and 290 are rectangular in shape, groovesof other shapes may be employed. It should also be noted that grooves,such as grooves 288 and 290, may be added to the inner surfaces of eachof the other seal embodiments described above and below if so desired.

With respect to materials, suitable resilient materials for theexemplary seals disclosed herein include but are not limited tosilicone. The dimensions of the seals will depend on the desiredcharacteristics and the dimensions of the main portion housing and PSRcover, and the present seals are not limited to any particulardimensions unless such dimension are set forth in the claims below.Referring to FIG. 13, the unstretched major and minor dimensions(measured perpendicular to the Axis A) of the exemplary seal 236 areabout 53.00 mm to 57.00 mm and about 14.00 mm to 16.00 mm. Turning toFIG. 17, the thickness of the base member 256, i.e. the distance betweeninner surface 258 and outer surface 296, is about 0.90 mm to 1.00 mm,the height of the base member is about 2.80 mm to 3.80 mm, theprotrusions 260-264 are about 0.30 mm to 0.50 mm thick, the protrusions260 and 264 are about 0.80 mm to 1.00 mm long, and the length ofprotrusion 262 is about 1.00 mm to 1.20 mm.

The PSR cover and seal arrangements described above in the context ofthe illustrated embodiments are such that the waterproof rating at thePSR cover will be IPX7, i.e. there will be no ingress of visible waterinto the power supply receptacle 118 when the exemplary sound processor100 is immersed in water at a depth of 1 meter for 30 minutes.

The exemplary sound processor 100 may also include a connector apparatusthat secures the PSR cover 154 to the main portion housing 150. Oneexample of such a connector apparatus is illustrated in FIGS. 19-22.Additionally, or alternatively, the sound processor 100 may beconfigured so as to insure that the PSR cover 154 must be gripped in aparticular way to facilitate removal, as discussed in greater detailbelow with reference to FIGS. 23-26.

As illustrated for example in FIGS. 19-22, the exemplary connectorapparatus 292 (FIG. 21) includes protrusions 294 and 296, which arecarried by the PSR cover walls 238 and 240, and are configured to matewith indentations 298 and 300 in the side walls 234 and 235 of mainportion housing 150. Each of the protrusions 294 and 296 includes twocam surfaces 302 and 304 (FIG. 22), and each of the side walls 234 and235 includes edges 306 (FIGS. 21-22). The resilience of the PSR cover154 allows the side walls 238 and 240 to deflect as the cover moves fromthe detached/open state (FIGS. 19-20) to the attached/covered state(FIGS. 21-22) and from the attached/covered state to the detached/openstate. More specifically, as the PSR cover 154 moves from thedetached/open state toward the main portion housing 150, the camsurfaces 304 on the cover protrusions 294 and 296 will engage the edges306 of housing walls 234 and 235. As the PSR cover 154 continues to movein this direction, the cover walls 238 and 240 will deflect radiallyoutwardly, as permitted by the resilience of the PSR cover 154, whilethe protrusions 294 and 296 pass the edges 306. The PSR cover walls 238and 240 will remain deflected radially outwardly until the protrusions294 and 296 are aligned with the indentations 298 and 300. At thispoint, the resilience of the PSR cover 154 will cause the walls 238 and240 to move radially inwardly such that the protrusions 294 and 296 arelocated within the indentations 298 and 300, in their radially retractedpositions, thereby locking the cover in place. Conversely, when the PSRcover 154 pulled in the opposite direction, the cam surfaces 302 on theprotrusions 294 and 296 will engage the edges 308 of the side walls 234and 235. The cover walls 238 and 240 will deflect radially outwardly, totheir radially extended positions, and the protrusions 294 and 296 willmove out of the indentations 298 and 300 as the PSR cover 154 continuesto be pulled away from the main portion housings 150.

The protrusions 294 and 296 and indentations 298 and 300 in theillustrated embodiment are also elongate and located at thelongitudinally central region of the housing side walls 234 and 235 andPSR cover side walls 238 and 240. The longitudinally central region ofthe PSR cover side walls 238 and 240 is the region of maximum radialextension.

Suitable resilient materials for the PSR cover 154 include, but are notlimited to PC/ABS resin. Such materials, in combination with a wallthickness of about 0.050 inch and the other dimension of the coverdescribed herein will allow the PSR cover 154 to resiliently deflect inthe manner described above. The main portion housing 150 and controlportion housing 152 may be formed from the same materials, but will bestiffer due to the geometry.

It should be emphasized here that the connector apparatus 292 is merelyone example of an apparatus that may be carried on the cover side walls238 and/or 240 and used to secure the PSR cover 154 to the main portionhousing 150. By way of example, but not limitation, an alternative PSRcover and main portion housing arrangement may be configured such thatthe locations of the above-described protrusions, indentations, camsurfaces and edges are reversed. Another alternative is to simplyinclude a protrusion and indentation, along with the associated camsurfaces and edges, on one of the cover side walls 238 and 240. Aconnector apparatus similar to connector apparatus 292 may also beassociated with the portion of the housing above (in the illustratedorientation) the seal and with the open end of the PSR cover, i.e.located on the other side of the seal. The protrusions and indentationsmay also have curved surfaces instead of the linear surfaces.

The overall configuration of the housing 106 may, in someimplementations, be such that the PSR cover 154 is a child resistantcover. In particular, the dimensions of the housing 106 and the locationof the connector apparatus (e.g. the protrusions 294 and 296 and theindentations 298 and 300) make it exceedingly difficult for a youngchild (e.g. infants and toddlers up to about 4 years of age) to removethe PSR cover 154.

Referring to FIGS. 23-26, and although the present inventions are notlimited to such a configuration, the length L of the housing 106 in theillustrated embodiment is substantially greater than, e.g. at leastabout two times and in some instances at least about three times, thewidth W of the housing. The length L of the exemplary housing 106 isalso relatively large. The “length” is the major dimension perpendicularto the axis A which, in the illustrated embodiment, is alsoperpendicular to direction of cover movement (note arrows B in FIG. 23).As used herein, “relatively large” means at least 2 inches, which is alength that a young child would find difficult to grip with sufficientforce to remove the PSR cover 154. Exemplary values of the length Lrange from about 2 inches to about 4 inches, depending on the age of thechild, and the illustrated embodiment is 2.3 inches long. The width W ofthe exemplary housing 106 is relatively small. The “width” is the minordimension perpendicular to the axis A which, in the illustratedembodiment, is also to the direction of cover movement (note arrows E inFIG. 24). As used herein, “relatively small” means no more than 2 inches(e.g. when the length is 4 inches). Exemplary values of the width Wrange from about 0.25 inch to about 2 inches, and the illustratedembodiment is about 0.7 inches wide. The lengths of the main portionhousing side walls 234 and 235 and the PSR cover side walls 238 and 240closely correspond to, or are the same as, the length L of the housing106, while the lengths of the main portion housing end walls 232 and 233and the PSR cover end walls 242 and 244 closely correspond to, or arethe same as, the width W of the housing 106. As noted above, the wallthickness of the PSR cover 154, in combination with the resiliency ofthe cover materials, facilitates the resilient radial deflection of theside walls 238 and 240.

Given the configuration described in the preceding paragraph, its wouldbe extremely difficult, as well as counterintuitive, for a young childto grip the PSR cover at the end walls 232 and 233. The distance betweenthe end walls 232 and 233 is too great to fit within a young child'shand. Instead, when attempting to pull the PSR cover 154 from the mainportion housing 150, a young child will grip the PSR cover 154 at theside walls 238 and 240. The distance between side walls 238 and 240 isconsiderably smaller and, accordingly, they are easier to grip. Agripping force in the direction of arrows C will be applied to the sidewalls 238 and 240 when applying removal force in the direction of arrowsB (FIG. 23). Applying gripping force in the direction of arrows C will,however, prevent the protrusions 294 and 296, which are carried by thePSR cover side walls 238 and 240 (FIG. 21), from moving out of theindentations 298 and 300. The gripping force prevents the PSR cover sidewalls 238 and 240 from moving radially outwardly. As the young childpulls harder in the direction of arrows B, he/she will also apply moreforce in the direction of arrows C to maintain a grip on the cover 154,thereby preventing the protrusions 294 and 296 from coming out of theindentations 298 and 300 despite the increase in the pulling force thatwould otherwise deflect the side walls 238 and 240 radially outwardly.

When an adult who is aware of the present configuration desires toremove the PSR cover 154 from the main portion housing 150, he/she willgrip the cover at the end walls 242 and 244 and apply a gripping forcein the direction of arrow D (FIG. 25) and removal force in the directionof arrows B (FIG. 23). The cam surfaces 302 on the protrusions 294 and296 will engage the edges 308 of the side walls 234 and 235 as the cover154 moves in the direction of arrows B. Because there is no grippingforce preventing the cover walls 238 and 240 from deflecting radiallyoutwardly, the protrusions 294 and 296 will move out of the indentations298 and 300 as the PSR cover 154 in the direction of arrows B, therebyunlocking the cover and permitting removal.

PSR covers may also be provided with structures that facilitate movementof the PSR cover to and from the attached/covered state (FIGS. 16 and21). More specifically, the robust seal provided by the seal 236 (or236′) may trap air within the power supply receptacle 118 as the PSRcover 154 approaches the attached/covered state during placement of thePSR cover over the power supply receptacle. The pressure of the air (iftrapped) will then increase as the PSR cover 154 continues its movementto the attached/covered state, thereby creating a force that opposes theforce being applied by the user. Similarly, when the user pulls the PSRcover 154 from the attached/covered state at the outset of the removalprocess, a suction force that is created by the trapped air will opposeremoval of the PSR cover until the PSR cover has moved a distancesufficient to break the seal.

One example of a PSR cover that is configured to vent air withouteffecting the seal provided by seal 236, and which may be incorporatedinto any of the sound processors described herein, is generallyrepresented by reference numeral 154 a in FIGS. 27 and 28. PSR cover 154a is essentially identical to PSR cover 154 and similar elements arerepresented by similar reference numerals. The PSR cover 154 a alsoincludes one or more vents. The vents may be of any suitable number,form or location. There are four sets of two vents 310 in theillustrated embodiment, with two sets on each side wall 238 and 240. Thesets of vents 310 may be located at the same locations on the side walls238 and 240, as they are in the exemplary embodiment, or may be atdifferent locations.

In the illustrated embodiment, the vents 310 are located in the taperedtransition portion 252 and, accordingly, do not effect the seal formedbetween the cover inner surface seal portion 254 and the seal protrusion262 (FIG. 28) at contact point 284. However, during placement of the PSRcover 154 a onto the housing main portion 150, the vents 310 permit airpassage past the seal protrusion 262 and prevent the aforementionedpressure increase within the power supply receptacle 118. Similarly,after the PSR cover 154 a has been moved a small distance from theattached/covered state during cover removal, the vents 310 will bealigned with the seal protrusion 262 so that air can be drawn into thepower supply receptacle 118, thereby preventing the creation of suctionforce.

It should also be noted that the vents 310 are located near bothlongitudinal ends of each of the cover side walls 238 and 240 in theillustrated embodiment. Thus, should the PSR cover 154 a be tiltedrelative to housing main portion 150 when the being placed on the mainportion, i.e. should one of the end walls 242 and 244 be closer to themain portion than the other, venting will occur at the trailing vents310 as the PSR cover straightens out prior to reaching theattached/covered state. Similarly, venting will occur if the user pullsfrom one end of the PSR cover 154 a during removal. Venting will occurat all vents 310 during placement and removal when the PSR cover 154 ais not tilted relative to the housing main portion 150.

The exemplary cover 154 b illustrated in FIG. 29 is essentiallyidentical to PSR cover 154 a and similar elements are represented bysimilar reference numerals. Here, however, the cover 154 b is configuredfor use with seal 236′. To that end, the cover includes an inner surface250 b without a tapered transition portion. The seal portion 254 extendsessentially to the open end 248. The single protrusion 264′ forms a sealat contact point 286.

To facilitate movement of the PSR cover 154 b to and from theattached/covered state, the PSR cover also includes vents 310 b that maybe of any suitable number, form or location. There may be four sets oftwo vents 310 b, as is described above with reference to vents 310, withthe vents being long enough to extend from about the open end 248 to theillustrated location adjacent to the contact point 286.

The exemplary PSR cover 154 a illustrated in FIGS. 27 and 28 alsoincludes a protrusion 312 on the cover end walls 242 and 244. Theprotrusions 312, which help the user grip the end walls 242 and 244, mayalso be employed on the PSR covers 154 and 154 b.

Although the inventions disclosed herein have been described in terms ofthe preferred embodiments above, numerous modifications and/or additionsto the above-described preferred embodiments would be readily apparentto one skilled in the art. By way of example, but not limitation, theinventions include any combination of the elements from the variousspecies and embodiments disclosed in the specification that are notalready described. Additionally, the inventions described herein arealso applicable to BTE sound processors. It is intended that the scopeof the present inventions extend to all such modifications and/oradditions and that the scope of the present inventions is limited solelyby the claims set forth below.

1. A method of operating a sound processor having a housing with anexterior, the method comprising the step of: transmitting visible lightthat is representative of an operational aspect of the sound processorthrough a seal that is compressed by the sound processor housing andthat has a portion which extends to the exterior of the sound processorhousing.
 2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is locatedbetween a portion of the housing and a portion of a port.
 3. A method asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the seal is located between a portion of thehousing and a portion of a button.
 4. (canceled)
 5. A method as claimedin claim 1, further comprising the step of: emitting visible light thatis representative of an operational aspect of the sound processor intothe seal from a location within the housing.
 6. A method as claimed inclaim 1, further comprising the steps of: emitting visible light of afirst color into the seal from a location within the housing in responseto a first operational aspect of the sound processor; and emittingvisible light of a second color into the seal from a location within thehousing in response to a second operational aspect of the soundprocessor.
 7. A sound processor, comprising: a housing defining anexterior; sound processor circuitry within the housing; a seal formed atleast in part from substantially translucent elastomeric material, theseal being compressed by the sound processor housing and positioned suchthat at least a portion of the substantially translucent elastomericmaterial extends to the housing exterior; and a light emitter carriedwithin housing that directs light into the substantially translucentelastomeric material such that the light is visible at the housingexterior.
 8. A sound processor as claimed in claim 7, wherein the sealis compressed between a portion of the housing and a portion of astructure associated with the housing exterior.
 9. A sound processor asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the structure associated with the housingexterior comprises a port.
 10. A sound processor as claimed in claim 8,wherein the structure associated with the housing exterior comprises abutton.
 11. A sound processor as claimed in claim 8, wherein thestructure associated with the housing exterior includes a cylindricalsurface; the housing includes a cylindrical surface; and the sealincludes a cylindrical portion.
 12. A sound processor as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the seal is formed from at least substantiallytransparent elastomeric material.
 13. A sound processor as claimed inclaim 7, wherein the housing is formed from relatively hard material;and the at least substantially translucent elastomeric material issofter than the relatively hard material.
 14. A sound processor asclaimed in claim 13, wherein the at least substantially translucentelastomeric material has a hardness of about 40-80 Shore A.
 15. A soundprocessor as claimed in claim 7, wherein the seal includes a compressedprotrusion.
 16. A sound processor as claimed in claim 7, wherein thelight emitter comprises an LED.
 17. A sound processor, comprising: ahousing defining an exterior; a device, accessible from the exterior ofthe housing, carried by the housing such that a gap is defined between aportion of the housing and a portion of the device; sound processorcircuitry within the housing; a light emitter carried within thehousing; and means, located within the gap, extending to the housingexterior, and associated with the light emitter, for sealing the gapagainst the ingress of moisture while permitting transmission of lightthrough the gap to the housing exterior.
 18. A sound processor asclaimed in claim 17, wherein the device comprises a port.
 19. A soundprocessor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the device comprises a button.20. A sound processor as claimed in claim 17, wherein the light emittercomprises an LED.